


Already Gone

by kxbooms



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Death and stuff, F/F, F/M, Gen, infinity war sucks, just a lot of angst, mentions of starmora and bugborg, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 11:50:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17263682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kxbooms/pseuds/kxbooms
Summary: "remember all the things we wantednow all our memories, they're hauntedwe were always meant to say goodbye"The Guardians had finally found meaning. But not everything is meant to last.





	1. Groot.

When Groot dies, he is not ready. 

He is not ready because he is so young. He is only five years in age and has so much to do, so many things to see, so much to learn.

He dies in front of someone who he values dear to him, someone who helped him with all life could offer him. One member of the group that raised Groot to be the best he could be. 

When Groot dies, he thinks of his father. His birth father. Someone Rocket tells him was a dear friend, someone who always valued others as he valued himself. Rocket would sometimes cry when talking about him, someone who Groot never met but wishes he had. He wonders if he would be proud. 

He thinks of Peter and Gamora, and their loving touch and reassurances. He thinks of Drax, someone who he found joy in practical jokes and whose laugh filled Groot with joy. He thinks of Mantis, a dear friend, her gentle soul. 

Yondu crosses his mind, someone who died for someone else just like the Groot before him. They both laid down their lives, the greatest act of love. Groot will never have a chance to do that, because death is not his choice.

He wants help, he wants to be saved. "I am Groot," he says, a call for help. From his real father. The one who does not look like him, but the one who was there with him every step of the way, even through bickering and trouble. He had fought with him the whole trip, but now, Groot is sorry.

"Dad," he calls out, but Rocket can do nothing.

And Groot returns to the earth.


	2. Mantis.

When Mantis dies, she is devastated.

Her whole life she was told she was merely a tool, someone who would understand others but never would be understood herself. She always put others before her, because to do anything else would be selfish.

Mantis knows the thoughts of others, the feelings of others as they turn to dust before her eyes. She sees sadness, agony, relief.

But what does she feel?

Mantis is devastated because everything has been ripped from her. Her best friend, next to her, who has gone through so much. He is blunt and sometimes overbearing, but he is still someone who has always been there for her. 

Peter. Peter who also knows the abuse of Ego, the lies and empty promises. Though they are not family, they consider each other siblings. Peter, who helped her realize she is worth way more than just an emotional tool. 

Gamora is dead. Gamora, who she always admired, the strongest she had ever met. Gamora, who brought strength upon her, told everyone that past does not define them. Mantis is no longer a servant, and she is not bad. She is good.

Rocket, who had been rough at first, whom with she eventually became friends. Rocket, who had a hard time loving himself and dealing with his emotions, so she dealt with them for him. 

Nebula, who she had come to befriend and care for. Nebula, with whom she had shared secret embraces and affections as they came to love themselves and each other. 

Groot, someone who shared in her childlike wonder and taught her that it is okay to be kind, to love the little things in life.

She has so much growth to do, so much love to give.

But she will never get a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I apologize. Also, catch that Bugborg reference am I right?
> 
> I really love Mantis and I'm sad she died so early. Hopefully in Guardians 3 we can get some more development for her.


	3. Drax.

When Drax dies, he is frustrated. 

He has worked so hard to build another life. To get over the grief and the loss of his family, to find a new one. 

A family that made him laugh, a family that confused him, a family that treasured him. He has learned about love rather than violence, that laughter is better than fear.

He got over wanting to kill Gamora to loving her like a sister. He has found a new friend in Quill, someone who he laughs with and shares advice to (even if Quill doesn't always follow it). He respects him. 

He and Rocket bond over practical jokes and dark humor, and even Groot he values almost as a nephew. 

He has found a best friend, something he had never had before. Mantis, who is always there for him. 

As he feels himself turning to dust, he calls out to his captain, the one who he relies on to fix things.

But he fades away anyway.

Maybe he will see Hovat and Kamaria again.

He can only hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love how Drax progressed, how he went from being all withdrawn to being hilarious. I am really happy for him that he found a new family after his other family died, it's what he deserves.


	4. Peter.

When Peter dies, he is angry.

He is angry because of the cruel universe, the cruel powers that constantly take so much from him. He is angry because everyone he loves is dying. 

He is angry because the perfect girl, the girl that always saw the good in him, is dead. He is angry because he will no longer know the sound of her voice or the taste of her lips, or the reassurance everything will be okay.

He is angry because he sees his little sister die in front of him, a girl who had so much to live for. 

He is angry because he is separated from someone he loves like a brother, someone who through the fighting and bickering and showing off, he cares about. Someone who he doesn't know he could live without. With him is someone who is a child, someone who Peter took care of, and put selfishness aside. 

His fists curl when he sees his friend, a close comrade, die next to him, someone who reaches for him in his last moments. 

It is his fault, he thinks. He is angry at himself.

Peter has always thought that he would die, but a heroic death. A death full of drama and bravado, and a bit of his trademark arrogance.

His death is quiet, but there is no peace in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POOR PETER. People give him a hard time about Infinity War, and while I understand why, I feel so sorry for him. He lost everything, and he felt bad about it. You can see it while he says "Oh man". I have a lot to say about this if you can tell.


	5. Gamora.

When Gamora dies, she is alone. 

She is alone just like she was when she was younger. She is just as alone as she was when she took the lives of others in the name of her father, having no life of her own.

She almost wishes it is like this, that she only has herself to care about.

But it is not like this. Because she wasn't alone. She had been brought up with expectations of family, a man who she was raised to think was her family.

But she has found her family, on her own. 

Her family does not hold her to her past, her family does not expect anything of her. Her family cares about her even when she is cold, and bonds with her over her and their flaws.

Peter loves her for who she is, and holds on to her for dear life. She thanks him in everything she does.

Drax reassures her, and moves on with her. They help each other and learn forgiveness through it. 

She loves Groot and raises him in the way she never got to be, teaching him in love and care.

She helps Rocket, because she knows how hard it is to get up out of bed in the morning, to feel like she is worth any good thing that has happened to her.

She helps Mantis know she is beautiful, inside and out.

And as she hits the ground, she feels a small amount of comfort knowing that up until now, at least she wasn't alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This kind of reminds me of my other fic, it's kind of rehashed. 
> 
> Gamora didn't deserve to die alone. That's it.


	6. Rocket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are gonna want to kill me.

Rocket does not die, but he wishes he would. 

He learns it from a man, a man who steps out of the ship with Nebula. They are gone.

Why were they the ones, he keeps asking himself. Why was he, out of all of them, spared?

Peter had always provided a shoulder to cry on, someone who listened. Someone who always built others up through laughter. 

Gamora, who always ever helped others look to the future. Gamora, who always helped Rocket do the right thing. 

Drax, whose laughter always brightened Rocket's day, and gave him a little bit of joy.

Mantis, who showed Rocket kindness even in the first meeting, and inspired him to try it a little bit too.

Groot, who Rocket adored with everything in him, who he loved like a son. Groot, who he had tried to raise to be better than himself, who he saw his old friend's eyes in.

All he's ever done is hurt others and himself. Why is he here?

He finds no peace in it, except the friendship he shares with Thor. He cannot sleep or eat or enjoy anything he does.

He cannot imagine a life without them in it. He is not worth it, he cannot move forward. When war returns, he goes. Anything to hurt the one who caused him so much loss.

And when he gets a chance to get them back, he goes, and sticks to it, even as he goes towards the ground. 

And as he finally does die, he is happy. Because his family can be happy together, and maybe he can make up for how much of a jackass he was towards him.

He finally feels as if he is good.

And Rocket goes to the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am aware that Tony and Nebula don't come back to the Earth after the snap, but in this fic they do.   
> Also, while this is sad, I do think this suits Rocket's arc.
> 
> Thank you so so much for reading!


End file.
